The Long Dark Story Mode Release Dated

Independent game developer Hinterland Studio Inc. today released the first official details about the much-anticipated Story Mode of their exploration-survival game, The Long Dark. The game was funded as part of a successful Kickstarter campaight and has been a massive hit already in sandbox form, shifting over 550,000 copies on Steam Early Access and Xbox One Game Preview already.

The first part of Story Mode’s Season One launches in Spring 2016, with the entirety of Season One being released episodically over the remainder of 2016. Players will take on the dual roles of bush pilot Will Mackenzie, and doctor Astrid Greenwood, as they both struggle to survive the aftermath of the “First Flare” event, which has brought modern civilization to its knees.

Players will experience the events of the Season One from the perspectives of two playable characters: bush pilot Will Mackenzie, and Dr. Astrid Greenwood. The story will unfold as the Story alternates between these two characters, with the player experiencing both points of view.

The core gameplay mechanics of Story Mode are derived from the Sandbox, though specifically tuned for narrative gameplay. Story Mode replaces the Sandbox’s permadeath with a progress-based save system.

Story Mode will launch with two large features currently unavailable in the Sandbox: Survivors, and The Aurora. Although Story Mode will use much of the existing Sandbox game world, about 25-30% of the Story Mode world will be entirely new areas.

Kickstarter, Early Access, and Game Preview backers will receive the Season One Story Mode content automatically as it is unlocked absolutely free and the game will leave Early Access and Game Preview for a full 1.0 launch version.

“After keeping our community in the dark about our plans for Story Mode, we’re thrilled to finally be able to reveal some details of what we’ve been working on alongside the over 75 updates we’ve made to Sandbox Mode over the last year,” said Raphael van Lierop, founder and creative director at Hinterland, and writer/director on The Long Dark®. “Our success on Early Access proved there’s an audience for a more thoughtful survival experience, and the resources we’ve been able to invest in the game will help us pursue our ambitions around storytelling as we continue to expand this world. We see a bright future for The Long Dark®, and are committed to a long-term relationship with our players.”